Homily (Reflection) for the Memorial
of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, V.D. (03rd October, 2019) on
the Gospel and the Memorial
Neh 8:1-12;
Ps 18:8-11. (R.v.9);
Lk 10:1-12.
Therese Martin (2nd January, 1873 – 30th
September, 1897) was the last of the children born to Louis and Zelie Martin.
Following her mother’s death when she was 4, her father and sisters babied
young Therese. She had a conversion on Christmas Eve in 1886. Therese entered
the Carmelite convent in Lisieux at the age of 15 and took the name Therese of
the Child Jesus and the Holy Face. She lived a hidden, simple life of prayer,
and she was gifted with great intimacy with God. Therese lived each day with an
unshakable confidence in God's love. She wrote, “What matters in life is not
great deeds, but great love.” Her spirituality is of doing the ordinary, with
extraordinary love. Through sickness and dark nights of doubt and fear, she
remained faithful to God, rooted in His merciful love. She died after a long
struggle with tuberculosis. Her last words were: “My God, I love You!” She was
canonized by Pope Pius XI on 17th May, 1925. Pope Saint John Paul II
declared her a Doctor of the Church in 1997.[1]
Topic: Instruments of Peace.
Jesus sent His disciples in today’s gospel to places He
intended to go with these words, “Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace
to this house!’” (Lk 10:5). Why must
‘Peace to this house!’ be the first thing? They were sent to bring the
unsearchable riches of Christ to the people (Eph 3:8); to preach Christ and not any other thing, cf. 2Cor 4:5.
Their mission is all about both vertical and horizontal peace.
In the words of St. Paul, “he (Jesus) came and proclaimed peace to everybody” (Eph 2:17). Christ is our peace. He came
and broke down the dividing wall of hostility among us and made us all one (Eph 2:14). But we keep building more walls.
“Peace to this house!” is the summary of their message, the gospel of peace (Eph 6:15).
The peace we have in mind is True Peace which is of God, cf. 1Cor 1:3; 14:33; 2Cor 1:2; Gal 1:3; Eph
1:2; 6:23. Hence Jesus said to His disciples, “Peace I leave with you; my
peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you” (Jn 14:27). Although peace is of God, we
must look for it. Borrowing the words of St. Paul, “Let us then pursue what
makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding” (Rom 14:19). Anyone who wants peace must go to God, the source.
Being at peace with God and with others is a sign that God is with us for God
is not a God of confusion but of peace (1Cor
14:33). Saint John cautions, “Those who say, ‘I love God,’ and hate their
brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister
whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen” (1Jn 4:20). In the same vein, for one to
be at peace with God, he/she must be at peace with others. St. Paul has this
advice, “Mend your ways, heed my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace,
and the God of love and peace will be with you” (2Cor 13:11).
Christ brings peace to wherever He is welcomed. We must turn
away from evil and do right and seek peace and pursue it (1Pt 3:11). Without peace and holiness no one will see the Lord (Heb 12:14). Every Christian is called
to be an instrument of true peace.
Bible Reading: 1Jn 4:7-21; Gal 5:22-26.
Thought for today: Are you for peace or for war?
Let us pray with St Francis of
Assisi:
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may seek not so much to
be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to
love; for it is in giving that we receive; in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life– Amen.
Saint
Therese of the Child Jesus – Pray for us.
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